Ataraxia is under attack. Vulcannus is the target
But so is Galleous, and it leaves him scrambling to protect more than just a Netheran, and he finds that he must use more than just a sword to save himself
Author's note: am I late? yes. is it my fault? technically yes; but wouldn't you like to know?
anyhoozle, remember how I said about chapters getting longer? yeah, so this one is *double* our average chapter length. it sits at 6.2k words because we've a lot to get through, although yesterday before we spent two hours going over it one more time, the word count was much more XD
anyway, brace yourselves. it only goes downhill from here...
(also I kinda like the illustration for this one) XD
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A sudden clap of thunder shook the floor of the workshop, knocking Almrak off balance as he hobbled over to the table where Galleous continued to wrap Vulcannus in Protisium energy in the hope of bringing his mind back from the pit of forgetfulness and nonsense that it had been drenched in since he was found at the Guardians' Lake. Jerome dropped his restraining hand from Vulcannus' wrist and fell at Almrak's side to help him back upright, absorbing his grunts and groans from the graze to his knee as he hit the ground.
Without Jerome holding the Netheran still, Vulcannus had taken advantage of the freedom (albeit minimal) and attempted to fight the mysterious energy enveloping him as he felt the cold surge under his armour like ice water poured down his back and trickling across his limbs. He shivered frequently, feeling the alien energy within him, and in his confused state of mind, he struggled to understand its origin, not making the link between Galleous' absent eyes and the blue fractals that emanated from his hand, encasing the rocky creature. Perhaps in Vulcannus' mind, he was being attacked by something that he could not comprehend, believing it to be Tygren at last comprising his new torture methods with energy unbeknownst to the Nether – another reason to fear the Ardoni and ally with the strongest of them. He shuffled on his back dramatically, rolling this way and that way as though amidst a nightmare that he could not wake from, still mumbling complete nonsense.
In the end, Galleous conceded that he could not work on healing the Netheran without the aid of another.
He wasn't thankful for a lot of the hands that life had dealt him in the past, but the unexpected arrival of both Jerome and Almrak was one that he could be thankful for – and boy was he.
Unless Jerome was preoccupied and Almrak would not cease his fastball curious questions.
He groaned and planted his hands on the workbench, hanging his head over them as he dripped in exhausted sweat stinging his eyes as it leaked into his cavities. They had been trying to gain sense from the Netheran for days, seemingly nonstop day and night, and thus far they had only been able to grant him feeling in his once dead leg, which only made him groan more with pain as it was still very much broken, perhaps to irreparability. That was something that no-one could change; however, there was still that small chance that something may yet be done about his never-ending decline to madness – or at least, that was what it felt like this far on.
Not that any success had been brought to the Ardoni yet, and both time and patience were wearing thin.
"Jerome, I cannot work when you are distracted." Another – louder – clap of thunder broke the silence that followed Galleous' frustration.
Jerome helped Almrak to the stool beside the workbench before turning to Galleous with a look of disdain – weariness, almost.
"It has been days," he said with a hefty sigh, planting his palms in mirror position to the Sendaris. "At what point do we say, 'enough is enough'? I am exhausted. You are exhausted. We have nothing to show for our efforts." He looked Galleous directly in his tired eyes, examining the effect that the Prime Song has had on the old man, watching his pupils dart with the weary movement of a man who had bitten off more than he could chew.
YOU ARE READING
Before the Storm
Fanfiction"Tygren Voltaris is the most dangerous Ardoni to live since the disappearance of the Deathsinger. You must show him no mercy, should you ever find him." But Tygren is still alive. He is still out there, and he is still after the Prime Songs. After...
